Car door construction



April 9, 1935. V w. A, BEAUCHAMP 1,997,556

CAR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 26, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 "f/Vl/EN TOE- W/LFEE/D H. BEHUCHHMP April 9, 1935. w. A. BEAUCHAMP CAR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Fild April 26, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. A. BEAUCHAMP CAR DOOR CONSTRUCTION April 9, 1935.

Filed April 26, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IWNNENAAK .VldIf/llI/f/Ill/ld VII/llll/IlI/f IIIIIIIIIPIIIII I [III/III IQTTY April 1935. w. A. BEAUCHAMP 1,997,556

CAR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 26, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 'I VE/V TOE- W/LFEED 6. BEHUCHHMP IQTTY Aprll 9, 1935.. w. A. BEAUCHAMP CAR DOOR-CONSTRUCTION Filed April 26, 1932 6 Sheets- S heet WAR ll NQ "f/Vl/E/VTOE M/LFEED 1Q. BEHUCHHMP 5) WM 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 W. A. BEAUCHAMP CAR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 26, 1932 April 9, 1935.

. H Q xw U u 1 J g I H l. miHW W n h. inm J lllll |l||l 1 m P tented Apr. 9, 1935" V i I I TED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 1,997,556 p, I V

r can noon CONSTRUCTION I Wilfred Beauchamp, Chicago; 111;, 'assignor, "by

mesn'e assignments; to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of-Ohio a 1 Application April 26, 1932', .Serial No. 607, 30

'23Claim's. (o1.2c 21)' This invention relates to car door construc- A further object isto provide a railway house L tion, "applicable to railway house, cars, 'in'cludcarLha-ving va side wall formed of stationaryand ing refrigerator ears, and concerns itself more laterally movable sections adjacent a door openparticularly with fi'llShflOQl for-all types of rail,- ing p'rovidedfinthe wall. the niovablesection way house cars. j V in its closed position. being looked in abutting 5 'It. is an. object of thisinvention; to ':provide engagement with the stationary section t'o reoutside doors forrai-lway'house 'oars,;vvhich doors inforce the latter; v I .5

shall be flush with the outer plane-of the door-* A "further object is to ,provide a sliding do'orf Way-or with theouter plane of the car side and for refrigerator cars having novel automatic shall requirefa straight .line sliding movement and sealing structureprovidedatjthe top "and 10 longitudinally of thecaronly in their travel ;tobottom thereof; i

Ward-open= and closed positions. Other objects will become apparent as th A furtherobject is to providesliding-doors for descriptiongof this invention proceeds. a stream linefreight car, saiddoorsbeing arcu- In the drawings forming. part of this sp'ec'iate to carry onptheEstr-eamlineeITectof-the car fication 'f and exposing a minimum otits -fixtures beyond Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation illustrat the :sides of the car. y m r I v I V ing the invention .applie'dito a streamline house Asturthe'r object is to .provide ailush straight car. i line slidingdoor fora railway house car which Figure 2 is a'horizontal section taken &on line is provided with side wallsofsubstantially .uni- 2-2 of .Figure l. i 20 formdepthl A, i i Figure 3 is a horizontal section showing the A further object is to provide a flush straight door in open position and the corresponding p0 slidingldoor for ireightcars adapted to -be sup sition of the movable section of the wall. ported 'formovementnpon the sill-of the-car. Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on line A further object is to provide-a railway house 4-4 of .Figure 1.

car having .a straight sliding door and a laterally Figure -5.is a vertical section taken on line'5-5 movable side Wall section, the doorand the secof Figure 1. tion in their closed positionslying flush with .Figure V6 is a vertical section taken on line the outer planeof the sidewall. y 6+6 of Figure .1.

A further object is'toprovide a railway [house Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevation showing 0 car having;:a;side wall-of substantially uniform the invention. applied .to a refrigerator car. depth. a 'sectionpf said wall being capable of liigure 8 :isahorizontal section taken on line lateral'movementrelative to the car and adoor 8-8 of Figure 7L g I adapted to be positioned in alignment with said Figure "9 is a horizontal section illustrating 7. section in theclosed positions thereof and to -be the door in open position and the corresponding positioned-yin the space vacatedby the section position of the .movablesection of the wall. in its lateral movement i V I Figure 10 .is' a vertical section taken on line A further object is to providea railway-"house i.ll-lfl of Figure 7. v car having a straight sliding tdoor'and a side- Figure 1 1 is .a vertical section taken 'on line 40 wall section'capable of lateral movement, the I I|-l I .of l figure j i 40 section abutting "the door in -its',-closed position Referring to :the embodimentof the invention to seal and maintain the door in .said position. illustrated .in- Figures 1 .to 6, inclusive, the nuvAiurther-object is toprovide azrailwayghouse moral l0 designatesgenerally a railway house car :having a. straight sliding door and a side car. As illustrated in this embodiment of the +5 wall section capable of .lateral movement, the inventionLthe-house car I.0.is provided with an vertical edges of the-door converging outwardly outerarcuatesurface 'll .toprovide a stream line and-the adjacent edge of said section andqthe freight icar. To .carry forward the strearrl'line frontidoor jamb converging outwardly-whereby eiiectof the car the door 12 and othemovable the abutment of the section against the .door section-l3 ofthe'side wall are similarly .arcuated. forces ?the *doo-r-dntowtight engagement withfthe Moreoven this eiTect islextended .to the fixtures 50 car. H V i i a applied to -the car Thehangers'Yl'd .for 'the door ;.A further; object isito provide 'a lrailway -house are positioned. within the inner and; outer planes car havingz'a side :wall .composedIof a fixed seothereof so as not .to project :beyond the side of p ion-land a laterally *movable -sectioncadiacent the meanwhile the guide brackets 15, actuating 5 the door vopening providedvin said wall, mechanism I 6 and hinges llare so formed as to and an outer movable section 24 which, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, is adapted to have overlapping engagementwith one margin of the door [2 and to lie substantially flush with said door. Additionally, the door l2 and the movable section 24 are substantially flush with the outer plane of the side wall 22 of the car. It is to be observed, moreover, that the combined depths of the stationary wallsection 23 and the movable wall section 24 is sub-.

stantially the same as the depth of the remainder of the side wall 22.

The'side wall'22 is preferably formed of a plurality of pan-sh aped panels 25 provided with inwardly extending flanges 26 and 21 positioned in abutting relationship and secured together preferably by means of welding. The panel adjacent the forward edge of'the door I2 is provided with an inwardly and forwardly inclined portion28 adapted to engage a correspondingly inclined portion29 formed at the forward'edge of the door. The panel 25 at the rear edge of the movable section 24 is provided with an inwardly and rearwardly inclined portion 30, adapted to overlie a correspondingly inclined portion at the rear margin 3| of the movable section. Similarly inclined portions 32 and 33 are provided on the rear margin and on the forward margin of the door and movable section, respectively.

v The car Ill embodies in its construction, a plurality of side sills. Aside sill 34 is clearly illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings and projects outwardly beyond the door opening 2| and the stationary section 23 of the car, the outer plane of said side sill lying substantially flush with the outer plane of the side wall of the car. Referring again to Figure5 of the drawings it will be observed that the projecting portion at the side sill serves as a track upon which the door, l2 is adapted to slide-in. its travel toward open and closed positions. In the normal or closed position of the door [2 and the movable section 24,,said section as well as the door overlie the projecting portion of the sill. Moreover, in the'normal position of the door and the movable section the engagement therebetween prevents travel of the door toward open position. To .permit such travel of the" door the movable section must bedisplaced relative to the projecting portion of. the sill which it overlies.

To this end the movable section at its rear margin is supported upon the side wall of the car by means of the plurality of hinges l1. These hinges as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, are preferably of the multiple pintle type, each comprising a strap portion 35 secured to the movable section, a strap portion 38 secured to the panel 25 and links 31 secured at the respective ends thereof to the strap portions 35 and 36 by means of the pintles 38 and 39. It will be observed that the hinges I! permit both lateral and longitudinal movement of the rear margin of the section.

The. actuating means I6 is utilized adjacent the forward margin of the movable sectionfor actuating said section to effect lateral and longitudinal movement thereof. This means, in the present embodiment of the invention, employs a vertical bar 40 rotatably secured to the section by means of a plurality of brackets 4|. The ends of said bar are provided with cranks 42 and 43, the ends 44 and 45 of which are rotatably secured to the car by means of brackets 46 and 41. A lever 48 is secured to the bar in order to effect rotation thereof, said lever being adapted to be secured to said section by any desired fastening means, such as shown generally at 49.

It will be apparent that upon release of the lever 48 from the fastening means 49 and swinging of said lever tofthe left as viewed in Figure 1 of the drawings rotation will be imparted to the bar which will impart a lateral movement and a longitudinal movement to the forward edge of the movable section. These movements will also occur at the rear edge of said section because of f the construction of the hinges H. The movable section upon operation of the actuating mechanism l6 wfll finally assumethe position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The outward position'of the section 24 as shown in said figure will i expose the projecting portion of the side sill 34, heretofore covered by said section. Either of the handles l8 and I9 may then be grasped and the door l2 moved upon the side sill to its open position. and I9 will lie forwardly of the movable section so that the door may readily be returned to its closed position. Movement of the door to its closed position and operation of the actuating mechanism in the reverse direction will restore the door and the movable section to their normal or closed positions, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The forward edge ofthe door will be maintained in sealing engagement with the adjacent panel of the car and the rear edge of the movable section 24 will be maintained against'outward movement by the overlying portion 30 of the panel 25. As the movable section is actuated to its normal or closed position the portion 33 of the forward edge thereof will engagethe portion 32 at the rear edge'of the door and exert a longitudinal thrust to said door to insure positioning of the door in its fully closed position. This overlapping will additionallyproduce an inward pressure upon the door so as to cause it to seat sealing engagement between the section and the 5 adjacent portion of the door. To complete sealing engagement around the four edges of the door the top and bottom thereof are provided. respectively, with plates 50 and 5| adapted to engage the adjacent portions of the car. A substantially Z-shaped member 52 secured preferably by welding to the car overlaps the plate portion 50 secured'to the upper horizontal margin of the door, enhancing the weatherproofing qualities at said' margin of the door and serving additionally as a guide andretainer therefor in its opening and closing movement. j At its lower margin the door is guided and retained against In said position of the door the handles l8 disengagement from'the track by means of the projection of the hinges "for the purpose of dec'reasi'nghthe' airpre'sistance upon-the car in transit..

I The door) Mamas on. metamf pane-1 51 and is. provided preferably with a wooden frame 58; The movable section 24 comprises a metallic panel =59'and isprovided with vertical. framing members 60 and 6!, preferably constructed of wood; "The framing member 60 of the movable section; because of the engagement between said section andthe door-l2 serves as a-jamb for the door. The invention as applied, to a refrigerator car is illustrated in. Figures '7 to ll; inclusive, of. the drawings. as formed :of wood andis provided with the customary insulating material 63. As in .the previous embodiment of the invention the car 52 is provided-with .a door opening 64 adapted to beclosed by meansgof a straight sliding door 65, also formed .of wood, and provided with the in,- sulating material 63.; Adjacent the door opening the side; wall 660i the-car is formed of a stationary section 61 and a. laterally nioyablesection 68. xTheengagement between thedoor and the laterally movable-section and the engagement between saiddoor and. its adjacentfixed jamb andbetweenthe movable section and the adjacent wall remains the same as that in the heretofore described embodiment of the invention. The movable section .68 is provided with a clearly shown in Figure. 10 of the drawings, a

portionlof the door lies within the outerplane of the, car. A threshold plate 14 is. securedadjacent the side sill and a plate 15 is secured to the car abovetheinwardly projecting portion of the door.

. These plates are provided with vertically'aligned I indentations l6- and I1, respectivelyu The lower margin of the inwardly projectingpor'tionof the door isr'ecessedas indicated-atl'lB and is adapted to ,rpceive brackets 19 provided with vertical rollers 88,.

the recess-l8 and receives a spindle 82 formed on A helical spring 8! abuts one endv of thebracket l9 and abuts a shoulder 83 formed at the lower end of said spindle The bracket Isis seatedwithin a recess formedina wooden'filler 84, positioned in the recess 18 formed in the door and extending for the width of the door,and is secured thereto by means of bolts.

A weather stripfiiis secured at one end to. the inner face of the inwardlyprojecting portion of they door and at its other end to the outer face of the filler 84. The weather strip 85 is continuous for the'entire width of the door. The upper margin of the inwardly projecting portion of the door'is-similarly formed; the. parts thereof being reversely arrangedjirom the corresponding parts described for the lower margin of the inwardly. projecting portion. 1 1 1 Y 1 It willbe'a'pparent from the foregoing description ofyth'e construction and partsjof: the upper and lower 'portionsiof, the. inwardly projecting part the. depressions 16 and'l'l.

The refrigeratorcar 62 is illustrated 3 or the doorthat when the door is in its fully closed position the rollers at will be seated within The seating of the rollers in the portions .16 and-Tl will be aided by the: springs 8i. In this position of the rollers the filler blocks 84 will engage the weather strips SS-at the-top and bottom of the door and, under the influence of thesprings, force the sealing strips into tight engagement with the plates M and 15, forming a tight seal at the upper and lower portions of the. inwardly projecting part of thedoor; .When the door is moved toward open position the rollers 833 will ride out of the de pressed portions 16 and Hand, together with the roller brackets and wooden fillers, be forced against the tension of the springstl further'into the recesses 18. In consequence of this movement the weather strips 85 will be retracted and will be maintained by the rollers out of engagement with the plates M and E5 was to prevent wear on said weather strips. l V ,It is manifest fromthe foregoing that sealing constructions are provided around the four edges of the door and,.also, that by Virtue of the weatherproofing'strips secured to the'upper, lower-and rear edges ofthe movable section such section also maintains sealing arrangements around its perimeter. l 1:

From the foregoing'description of the embodimentsof the instant invention there is presented a car construction in which the door, movable ,section'and the adjacent side wall are flush with the car, or a construction in which the adjacent portions of the door, sidewall andmovable section and the adjacent portions'between the movable section and the side wall are flush.

Numerous changes and modifications in the details of the embodiments of the invention dis closedwill be apparent to those skilled in the art.

ItPISZiITllZEIIGEd; therefore, that all such changes the in its closed position, to engage said fixed jamb and to lie 'upon the. outside of said wall at the 2.;In"a railway house car, in combination, a k side. 'wallzhaving a'door opening, a fixed door jamb positioned at one side of said opening, a

'slidable door-for closing said opening adapted, in

its closed position, to engage said fixed iamb and to lie upon the outside of said wall at the opposite side of saiddooropening and a laterally movable jamb mounted upon theoiutside of said walland adapted to engage said door in its closed position.

' ,3. In a railway house car, in combination, a

side wall having adcor opening, said wall, adja cent said opening'being formed of a stationary closed position.

4. In a freight car, in combination, a wall provided with a door opening, said wall adjacent said opening including a stationary section and a movable section, a sliding door adapted to close said opening, said movable section lying in the path of opening movement of said door and'being movable laterally from said. stationary section to permit opening movement of said door. 5. In a freight car, in combination, a wall provided with a door opening, said wall adjacent said opening having a stationary section and a movable section, a sliding door adapted to close said opening and to be overlapped by said movable section, and means for locking said movable section, whereby to maintain said door in closed position.

6. In a railway freight car, in combination, a wall'provided with a door opening, a door for closing said opening, said wall contiguous to said opening comprising a stationary section and a laterally overlapping movable section, and means for securing said sections together in the closed position of said door whereby said movable section reinforces said stationary sections.

7. In arailway freight car, in combination, a

wall having a door opening, a sliding door for closing said opening,said wall adjacent said opening comprising a stationary section'and a movable section, said door lying outwardly of said stationary section and flush with said movable section, said movable section being hinged to said wall for lateral movement relative thereto to permit opening movement of said door.

8. In araiiway freight car, in combination, a wall having a door opening, va sliding door. for closing said opening, said wall adjacent said opening comprising a stationary section and a movable section, said door lying outwardly of said stationary section and flush with said movable section, one vertical edge of said movable section being hinged to said wall and the opposite edge of said section being provided with means to effect lateral movement thereof. 7

9. In a railway freight car, in combination, a. wall having a door opening, a sliding door for closing said opening, said wall adjacent said opening comprising a stationary section and a movable section, .said door lying outwardly of said stationary section and flush with said movable section, one vertical edge of said movable section being hinged to said wall and the opposite edge of said section being provided with means to effect lateral movement thereof, said means comprising a vertical bar rotatably secured to said, movable section and having cranks at the ends thereof, said cranks lying, respectively, above and below said section and having ends journaled in bearings fixed to said car and a lever for operating said bar.

10. In a railway car, in combination, a sliding door lying flush with the adjacent wall of said car, the front edge of said door being overlapped by said wall, a movable wall section havinga front edge overlapping the rear edge of said door and lying flush therewith, the rear edge of said movable section being overlapped by the wall of said car adjacent thereto, said movable section lying flush with said wall.

11. In a railway car, in combination, a slidable door, a laterally movable section, said door being flush with said section in the closed position of said door, said section being movable bodily outwardly from said car, whereby said door may be moved to open position to occupy the space 'vacated by said section.

'12. In a railway car, in combination, a side wall having a door opening, a slidable door for closing said opening, said wall adjacent said section comprising a stationary section and a movable section, said latter section lying in the path of opening movement of said door and movable laterally from said stationary section to provide a recess with the latter section, adapted to receive said door in its opening movement.

13. In a railway house car, in combination, a slidable door, a movable section, a side sill, said door being supported for sliding movement upon said sill, said section in its normal position having overlapping relationship with said sill and means for moving said section from its overlapping position with said sill, whereby said door may travel to open position supported upon the sill.

14. In a railway house car, in combination, a side wall provided with a door opening, a door for'closing said opening, said wall adjacent said opening comprising a stationary section and a movable section, a side sill projecting outwardly beyond said door opening and said'stationary section,- said door being supported for sliding movement upon the projecting portion of said sill, said movable section lying in the path of opening movement of said door, and means for moving said section whereby said door may travel to open position.

15. In a railway house car, a sliding door, a door frame, a substantially horizontally positioned plate having spaced indentations therein provided in said frame and means provided on said door adapted for engagement with said plate to effect a weathertight joint therewith, said means comprising spaced rollers movable vertically relative to said door and weather-proofing material, said rollers adapted to be seated in said indentations to project said material into contact with said plate in the closed position of the door and to ride out of said indentations and upon the plate in the opening movement of said door to retract said material from said plate.

16. In a freight car, in combination, a wall provided with adoor opening, said wall adjacent said opening including a stationary section and a movable section, a sliding door adapted to close said opening, said movable section lying in the path of opening movement of said door and being movable relative to said stationary section to permit opening movement of said door.

'17. In a freight car, in combination, a wall provided with a door opening, said wall adjacent said opening comprising a movable section, a sliding door adapted to close said opening, said movable section lying in the path of opening movement of said door and being movable relative to said car to permit opening movement of said door.

. 18. In a freight car, in combination, a wall provided with a door opening, said wall adjacent said opening comprising a movable section, a sliding door adapted to close said opening, said movable section lying in the path of opening movement of said door and beingmovable laterally relative to said car to permit opening movement of said door.

l9. In a railway freight car, in combination, a wall having a door opening, a sliding door for closing said opening, said wall adjacent said opening comprising an inner and an outer section, said door lying outwardly of said inner section and flush with said outer section, said outer section being hinged to said wall for lateral 1 permit opening said track so as to lie in the path of travel of said door and means for moving said section from its overlapping position with said track-whereby said door may travel to open position supported upon said track;

21. In a railway house car having members defining a door opening, in combination, a sliding door for. closing said opening,'spaced indentures provided in a horizontally extending member, a sealing-stripcarried bysaid door for engagement with said member in the closedposition of the door, said strip being capable of vertical movement relativeto said door and means seated in said indentures in the closed position of the door for elevating said strip above said member in the sliding movement of said door to open" position.

22. In a railway freight car, in combination, a wall provided with a door opening, said wall contiguous tosaid opening comprising-a stationary section and lateral overlapping movable section and means for securing said sections together whereby said movable section reinforces "said stationary section, the combined depths of said sections being not greater than the depth of the remainder of said wall.

23. In V afreight car, in combination, a

wall provided with a door opening, a movable section mounted adjacent said opening upon said car, a sliding door adapted to close said opening, said movable section lying in the path of opening movement of said door and being movable relative to said car to permit opening movement of the door, said movable section engaging the rear margin of said door in the closed position thereof when said seotionis brought to ,home'position, whereby to force said door tightly closed andto cooperate with the rear margin thereof to provide a weatherproof construction.

WILFRED A. BEAUCHAMP. 

